Propeller for vessels



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B. ICRE PROPELLER FOR VESSELS Filed July 1916 4 Sheets-Sheet l B. ICRE PROPELLER FOR VESSELS File ly 1916 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y? 2; 33 23 ff J3 I Z5? 44 i G v v O I INVENTOR M I f. '2 5F 72 19 y v I l L I 4 ga 8% {gm/5m k F f f f 7 Q ATTORNEY B. ICRE PROPELLER FOR VESSELS @a. 23,1923. mums Filed July 1, 1916 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @c'st. 23, 1923. 1,473,896 B. ICRE PROPELLER FOR VESSELS Fil ed July 1'. 1916 v 4 Sheets-Sheeti 4 INVENTOH A TTORIVEY on or below thesurface of the water.

Patented Get. 235, 11923..

' units ares inerrrsrn loan, or new YORK, n. Y. I

PROPELLER FOR VESSELS.

Application filed July 1,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BAPTISTE loss, a citizen of the French Republic, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to propellers of the feathering-blade type for vessels of various characters, whether intended to navigfire y present. invention contemplates further improvements in propellers of the class disclosed in my earlier Patents No. 976,178 of November 22, 1910, and No. 1,182,014: of Ma 9, 1916. In this class of propellers, the bla es, as they revolve about the axis of the propeller, are turned at the proper time about their individual axes, b the action of a normally stationary cam. he purpose of my' present improvements is to secure better and more varied results in the operation of the propeller, b a novel construction and arrangement 0 the said cam, the

' invention also consists of other novel features which will be fully set forth in the description following hereinafter, and specifioally pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ship (for water navigation) having my improved propellers applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 1s a rear elevation of such ship; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation showing a slightl different ar-' rangement, such as may also e employed in conjunction with vessels of various types; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of a submarine, showing one arrangement of propellers therefor; Fig. 5 is a. diagrammatic developed view illustrating the manner-0f swinging or feathering the blades, say from ahorizonta-l to a vertical position and vice versa; 'Figr'G is e partial-sectional'plan showing two stern propellers Fig. 7 shows upon an enlarged scale a preferred form of my improved propeller; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 7, looking upward; Fig. 9 is a partial side ele vation taken in the direction of the arrow 13 in Fig. 7; Figs. 10 and-11 are partial developed views of the cam-track employed in Fig.7, illustrating two different-positions of said track; Fig. 12 is a series of diagrams illustrating difierent positions 1916. Serial no. 107,017.

which ma be taken by the adjustable track of Figs. lip 11 inclusive, and also indicating theblade movements resulting from such positions.

In 1 and 2 I have indicated an ocean liner A provided amidships with propellers a and a of my improved type located at each side, and at the stern with propellers b and b (likewise of the improved type) in a relative position corresponding to that of the well-known twinscrew propellers. In Fig. 3, the ships hull is provided with tunnels beneath the propel, lers 72 6 to contain part of the machinery, while in Figs. 4, 4*, and 7 the lower faces of the propellers are fully exposed. Referring to the detail construction shown 1n Fig. 7, the device comprises a hollow main-shaft 20 extending vertically, and supported in suitable bearings ('notshown). To the upper extremity of said shaft is secured rigidly a bevel gear 25, in mesh with a bevel pinion 25 on a shaft 25 operated from the driving shaft of the engine in any suitable manner. To the lower; end of the shaft 20 is secured a cap or closure 26 which serves to prevent the access of water to the operat ing parts, and also to support and retain a body of lubricant, so that the operating parts may run in oil or. the like. At the lower end of the shaft 20 are provided radial enlargements or hubs 27, in which are sup ported the shanks of the feathering blades 27*, by means of ball-bearings 27 suita'ble packings, Which are held in position by nuts or caps 27, being provided in the hubs to prevent the entrance of water into the hollow main-shaft. Within the shaft 20 is arranged centrall or axially, a normally stationary shaft 2 supported at its lower end in an antiefriction neck-and-step bearing 28 provided on the inner side of the closure 26. Bevel-gears 28 and 28, applied at the upper end of said center-shaft 28, serve to turn the latter, when desired, for a purpose in the position shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, it has the same characteristics of shape (diagram I, Fig. 12) andthe same function as the track secured rigidly to the shaft 28, that is to say, it has a relatively short horizontal lower portion, a relatively long horizontal upper portion, and two oppositely-inclined connectin or intermediate portions. Between the anges which form the cam track are guided slide-blocks or shoes 30 which are applied pivotally to the wrist-pins 30 of cranks 30 keyed or otherwise secured to the reduced inner ends of the shanks of the blades 27. As the hollow main-shaft 20 is rotated (the center-shaft 28 and the cam-track connected therewith remaining stationary), the slide-blocks 30 will travel between and along the camflanges of said track-sections. As long as the slide-blocks 30 are at the relatively long upper portions n (Fig. 5) of the cam-track, the blades 27 will be horizontal, as shown at the right in Fig. 7, and when the slide-blocks travel along the inclined cam-portions 0, (Fig. 5) the blades will be turned gradually on the axes of their shanks, and when the slide-blocks reach the relatively short lower portion m (Fig. 5) of the cam-track, the

blades 27 will assume a Vertical position, as shown at the left' in Fig. 7. The well-known feathering action is thus obtained, by which the vessel is propelled forward it thesha-ft 20 is rotated in the proper direction for this purpose.

The shaft carrying the bevel-gear 28 may beturned by means of suitable mechanism (not shown), such mechanism being preferably so constructed thatthe shaft 28 may be given a definite angular movement of 90- 180, 270, or 360. For relatively small vessels, this mechanism for turning or adjusting the center-shaft 28 may be operated by hand, say by providing a suitable crankhandle or the like on the shaft of the bevelgear 28; for larger vessels, this shifting or adjusting mechanism would be operated by power derived from the engine. According to the adjustment of the center-shaft with the cam-track carried thereby, different results would be obtained: thus, it we assume that the vessel will be propelled forward with the shaft 28 in the position which produces the operation illustrated by Fig. 6, then by turning the shaft 28 through an angle of 180, it will be given a position which will cause the vessel-to be reversed, or

backed astern, with the main-shaft 20 rotat- '1 ing in the same direction as before. If the shaft 28 is turned through an angle of 90 or 270 from the position which produces the operation indicated in Fig. 6 (with the main-shaft 20 still rotating in the same di-- rection), the result will be a swinging of the vessel to port or starboard, that is to say, the (propeller will assist the action of the rud er, 0r steering may without the use of the rudder, through the sole action of the propellers. j When the improved propeller is used in cases where a raising or lowering efiect is desired at times, as in submarines, one or more of these propellers can be used, applied below the hull of the Vessel in the center or at each side. Thus, a submarine might have two propellers of the character represented in Figs. 7 to 11, placed below the hull at points correspondin to the location of the propellers a, a of igs. 1 and 2, that. is to say, at or .near the transverse plane containing the center of gravity. Or I might adopt other arrangements, an instance of which is shown in Fig. 4, where I show two stern pro ellers b, b (rotating in opposite directlons) located in the same transverse plane, and two bow propellers c a (like wise rotating in opposite directions) located one in advance of the other in the longitudinal center of the vessel. The details shown in Figs. 7 to 11 apply to all the propellers of Fig. 4*, it being understood that each of these propellers has its lower surface'fully exposed to the water, below the hull of the submarine.

The arrangement shown at aha in Figs. 1 and 2, or the arrangement of bow and stern propellers shown in Fig. 4, has the advantage of enabling the ship to be quickly swung or pivoted in situ or nearly so,

be accomplished about an axis passing vertically through the I center of gravity. or close thereto.

In addition to this, the pro eller construction indicated in Fig. 4, an shown in detailin Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive, enables-the boat to be moved quickly in an upward direction, say to bring a submarine to the surface, or in a downward direction when it is desired to make the boat dive, that is to say, submerge it to a greater or less depth. I desire it to be understood that the detail construction of the propeller illustrated by Figs. 7 to 11 may be applied in other ways than indicated in Fig. 4 or suggested above in connection with the propeller location a, a of Figs. 1 and 2. For the purposeot exerting the liftingor' lowering action on lllli the boat, as referred to above, the blades 27" I.

ponent tending to raise or lower the ship.

may employ anv suitable mechanism for giving the blades this position in Which they Bill have a lifting or lowering efi'ect. Thus, Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive show the center-shaft 28 provided with a cam-track of the general character set forth above, but the said track, while compelled to turn with the centershaft, is composed of two sections movable relativel to each other, lengthwise of said shaft. or instance, the short horizontal lower ortion m (Fig. 5) of said track is forme upon a sleeve segment 29 (Fig. 7) movable lengthwise between the spaced edges of a wlder sleeve segment 29 which carries the long horizontal upper portion a of the track and is also movable lengthwise of the shaft 28, but held to rotate therewith, as by means of a longitudinal key 29 (Fig. 8). Rings 29 rigidly secured to one of the sleeve-segments, and in loose sliding engagement with the other, compel the two segments to remain in contact so that they will complement each other to form a sleeve. Each of the intermediate or connecting pol.- tions 0 of the track-forming flanges is in this case made of two members 29 having pin-and-slot connections at their adjacent, overla pivote as at 29, to the respective ends of the horizontal flange portions m and n. Each of the sleeve-segments 29 and 29 is formed with horizontal circumferential gIOOVGS (shown at thenpper end in Figs. 7 and 8) forming rack-sections in engagement with normally stationary pinions 44, 44' re spectively. The upper portion of the sleeve formed by the segments 29, 29 is also supported by means of bearing balls 28' associated with the pinion 25 and engaging a sleeve 29 secured rigidly to the segment 29 and allowing the segment 29 to slide lengthwise. This construction also provides an additional means for centering the upper portion of the shaft 28 surrounded by the sleeve 29'', 29. The pinion 28 prevents any upward movement of the shaft 28.

With the sleeve-segments 29, 29 in the position shown in Figs. 7 to 10 (corresponding to diagram I of Fig. 12), the blades 27 will be operated in such a way as to stand vertical at the time of exerting their action (in the sector corresponding to the camtrack portion m). By turning the pinions d4, 44' so as to shift the sleeve-segment 29 with the track portion m up, and the sleeve segment 29 with the track-portion 91. down the same distance, all the track-portions m, n, 0 may be brought into the same horizontal plane, as indicated in Fig. 11 and in diagram H of Fig. 12. This will cause all the blades, at every point of their travel, to stand inclined, say at 45, as indicated in said diagram H. A lifting or a lowering eifect is obtained according to the direction in which the blade-carrying shaft is rotated. By leaving the track-portion m in its original position, and sliding only the sleeve ping ends, while their other ends are which it is incline scent 29 carrying the track-portion a, into the same position as in diagram II, I obtain the position illustrated by diagram Hit, according to'which the blades 27, as long as they are in registr with the trackportion n, will remain inc ined, say at 45, and will assume the vertical position (propelling forward or rearward) at the short track-portion m. With this adjustment, the blades will have not only a lifting or lowering efiect on the ship at the track-portion n, but they will also propel the ship ahead or astern b their action at m. With the position in icated in diagram H, there is no propelling action either ahead or astern, for the reason that diametrically-opposed blades will have a counter-balancing or neutralizing influence, so far as propulsion ahead or astern is concerned. The cam track, while adjustable to different positions as described, is of course normally stationary during the operation of the propeller, that is, does not share the rotation of the propeller shaft. By building it very light, the propeller structure described above in its special relation to submarines, can be applied very advantageously to other crafts, such as aeroplanes, dirigibleballoons, or the like, and their direction determined accordingly, both as to horizontal and vertical steering. Of course, in the case of vessels adapted to travel only on the surface of the water, the propeller generally will not be adjustable for exerting a lifting or lowering efiect on the ship.

The arrangement of the cranks 30Krelatively to the track should be such that with the blade-carrying shaft rotating in the normal. direction, the strain on the shoe-carrying cranks will be a tension or pulling strain, and not a compression or pushing strain. Fig. 5 shows the blade-axis 4:1 as movin toward the right with the crank 3O exten mg rearwardly, that is to say, toward the left from the blade-axis 41 to the shoe 30, so that the crank will always be under a tension or pulling strain while the shaft rotates in this direction. In the first position shown at the left, the shoe 30 is at the right-hand end of the track-portion n, and the blade 27? is in a horizontal position. The crank 3O isinclined at 45 to the left and upwardly from the axis 41. In the next position shown, the shoe 30 is at the middle of the left-hand inclined track-portion o, the crank 30 has swung till it is about hori-' zontal, and the blade 27 is in an inclined position, with its upper edge forward, with reference to the direction of rotation. In the next position shown, the shoe 30 is at the left-hand end of the track portion m, and the crank 30" has swung through an angle of 90 from the first SOSltlOII, to a position in at 45 to the left and downwardly from the axis 41; this of course 7 similar to the second position, that is to say,

the blade is inclined, with its upper edge forward, in the direction of rotation. Finally, at the extreme right, the shoe 30 is at the left-hand'end of the trash-portion n, and the relative positions of crank 30", blade 27, and axis 41 are the same as in the position shown at the extreme left. Fig. 5 shows the horizontal path 42 of the bladeaxis 41 as'lying 'ust half-way between the horizontal centerines of the track-portions m and n this is the arrangement which in m opinion will yield ,the best results. In this case, the length of the crank 30 will be equal to the by otenuse of an isosceles rightangled triang e, the other two sides of which are each equal to half the distance (measured vertically) between the two track-portions we and a.

llt will be observed that the short horizontal track-portion m is located below the long horizontal track-portion a, and as a result of this arrangement, that edge of the blade 27 which is forward (with reference to the direction of rotation), will be the upper edge of the blade at all times, as will be evident from Fig. 5, and particularl the second, third, and fourth positions s own therein. In other words, during the entire I time that the blade passes from. the horizontalposition to the vertical one and vice-- versa, the blade will be inclined with its upper ed e ahead in the direction of notation, an this inclination will cause the blade to exert a downward push on the water, at the time the blade swin from the horizontal position to the vertical one,

or vice-versathereby having a tendenc to raise the hul out of the water, whic is more conducive to efiicient action than if least thelong or main portions of these cranks. v I

When using stern propellers, I may either employ them in pairs, at op osite sides of the longitudinal center of t e vessel (see Figs. 2, 8, t and 6), or a single propeller of ravines this kind may be used by arranging it in the longitudinal center of the ship.

As regards the slide-blocks or shoes 30, I prefer them to rollers on account of their reater durability, as fully explained in my tters Patent 0. }1,182,014= referred to! above. I

When propellers are employed in pairs (Figs. 2, 3, a, and 6), they should rotate in opposite directions, as indicated in Fig. 6..

In this case, whenever the two center-shafts 28 of thesame pair are adjusted for the purpose described, they should both be turned in tile same direction and through the same an e.

1 the blades are exerting their pushing action on the watdi' or other medium, is about that is to say, about 30 forward and 30 to the rear of a transverse plane. assing through the axis of the propeller, w en the ship is being astern. When t e propeller is operated in such a manner as to' swin the ship to port or starboard, the blades will be in their ac tive position within an angle of 60, of

uringthe remainder of their travel, the. blades are inactive and proceed edgewise so as to reduce the resistance to their passage through the water or other medium. It Wlll be understood that the individualblades of the same propeller reach their inactive position successively so as to produce a practically continuous action on the water. Since my" propeller operates on the principle of a lever, and. not by screw action as the usual propellers, I am enabled to utilize the engine power much more efiiciently and completely than this is possible with the constructions employed hitherto.

It will'be noted that (for the sakeof sim- 7 does not show the ler illustration Fi b ll stand during the norlades 27 as they wi mal propellingaction, but rather as they I will stand if the propeller is usedfor steering. The normal propelling position of the blades is indicated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and in Fig. 6.

Any accidental downward or upward movement of the sleeve-segments 29, 29' is prevented in any suitable manner, and as an example of how this may be accomplished, I

have illustrated (Fig. 7) spring-pressed pawls 53 which normally hold the pinions l4,

. I r A 6 shows that the angle during which ropelled e ther ahead on When the blades are in their active 44' against rotation in either direction. Any appropriate device may be employed for insuring that the parts, especially the sleevesegments, will always be stopped in the proper position. For instance, each of the pinions 44, 44 may be limited in its turning movement, say by means of a pin 54 projecting into a segmental slot 44 of the pinion and adapted to arrest the pinion when the end of the slot is reached.

If the pinion 44 engaging the narrow sleeve-segment 29 were mounted in a stationary. bearing, the turning of the center-- shaft 28 might carry said segment out of engagement with said pinion, leaving the segment free to move lengthwise. In order to prevent this, I prefer to journal the pinions 44, 44' in a carrier 55 mounted to turn with the shaft 28, so that the pinions will always remain in engagement with the respective sleeve-segments. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 7. The-carrier 55 is also shown as serving to support the limiting pins 54 mentioned above. Of course,

when the pinions 44, 44' follow the rotation of the sleeve-segments 29F, 29 and of the shaft 28, as just described, it is not necessary to employ. grooves extending along the en tire circumference of the sleeve-segments, but only rack-teeth at the points engaged by the pinions 44, 44'.

Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for turning the pinions 44, 44' to raise or lower the respective sleeve-segments.

I claim as my invention:

1. A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades pivoted to said member, bladeswinging members connected with said blades, a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said blade-swinging members, said track including a portion adjustable relatively to the remaining portion of the track, in a direction lengthwise of the axis of said rotary member, the track being further adjustable bodily by turning it about said axis, and means connected with said track to share the turning adjustment thereof and in permanent engagement with said longitudinally movable track portion to effect its adjustment relatively to the remaining portion of the track.

2. A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades pivoted to said member, bladeswinging members connected with said blades, a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said blade-swinging members, said track including two adjustable portions movable relatively to each other in a direction lengthwise of the axis of said rotary member, a normally stationary shaft co-axial with said rotary member and connected with said track in such a manner,

that said track will move bodily with the shaft as the latter is turned about said axis peller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades pivoted to said member about axes lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said member, blade-swinging members connected with said blades, a normally stationary shaft located within said rotary .member and coaxial therewith, means for turning sald shaft, two complementary sleeve-segments capable of relative sliding movement lengthwise of said shaft but held to turn therewith and carrying track-portions lying in planes perpendiclar to said shaft, intermediate track-portions connected with the first-named track-portions loosely and forming with them a track for guiding and operating said blade-swinging members, and means for efiecting relative shifting of the first-named track-portions lengthwise of the shaft.

4. A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feat-hering blades pivoted to said member about axes lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said member, blade-swinging members connected with said blades. a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said blade-swinging members, said track comprising two main portions susceptible of relative adjustment lengthwise of the axis of the rotary member, and two intermediate portions connected loosely with said main portions, and means for effecting relative adjustment of said track portions lengthwise of the axis of the rotary member.

5. A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades pivoted to said member about axes lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said member, blade-swinging members connected with said blades, a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said blade swinging members, said track comprising two main portions susceptible of relative adjustment lengthwise of the axis of the rotary member, and two intermediate portions each of which consists of two sections overlapping at one end and shiftable relatively to each other to lengthen or shorten such intermediate portion, the other ends of said sections being pivotally connected with the respective main trackportions, and means for effecting relative adjustment of the main track-portions izngthwise of the axis of the rotary mem- 6, A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades pivoted to said member, bladeswinging members connected with said blades, and a normally stationar track for guiding and operating said bl e-swinging members, said track including a portion adjustable relatively to the remaining portion of the track, in a direction lengthwise of the axis of said rotary member.

7. A structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, blades pivoted to said member about transverse axes, blade-swinging members connected with said blades, and a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said. bladeswinging members, said track comprising a main portion for holding the blades edgewise or inactive, and another portion for holding the said blades active or fiatwise, the last-named. portion being adjustable lengthwise of the axis of said rotary mem-- her, to vary the angular position taken by the blades at the time of their active motion.

8. A structure adapted for use asa propeller, comprising a rotary member, blades pivoted to said member about transverse axes, blade-swingin members connected with said blades, 8,115 a normally stationary track for guiding and operating said bladeswinging members, said track comprisin a main portion of relatively great circum erential extent,-a.nd another portion of relatively small circumferential extent, each 1,471 ,eee

of said portions bein adjustable independently lengthwise of t e axis of therotary member, to va the angular position taken by the blades, oth when controlled by the track-portion of relatively great circumferential extent, and when passing adjacent to the shorter track-portion.

9. A feathering-blade structure adapted for use as a propeller, comprising a rotary member, feathering blades carried by said member, a non-rotary track operatively related to said blades to give them a feathering motion on their axes as said blades are carried around the track by the rotation of said member, said track and member being relatively adjustable lengthwise of the axis of said members rotation, and means for effecting such longitudinal adjustment and thereby varying the angle which the blades, when in their active position, form with a plane erpendicular to said axis of rotation.

10. structure a" u: for use as a propeller, comprising a rotar member, feathering blades carried by said member pivotally, blade-swingin members connected with said blades, an a cam-track for guiding and operating said blade-swinging members, said track being adjustable length wise of the axis ofsaid rotary member.

In testimony whefil have signed this specification. v

' BAP'HSTE ICRE. 

